Vision Quest
A Journey of Self-Discovery Through Sound
As a DJ, I always take requests. What songs have fueled your own transformations?
Share your favorites…and maybe you’ll inspire my next playlist!
Musical Theme: Unbound Illumination
My last playlist, “A Bit Squishy,” captured the tentative steps of building something new. Now, as spring becomes summer, this fresh set of tracks invites us to break free from familiar comforts, defy expectations, and stumble into moments of radical clarity and genuine joy. As a special nod to my first Eurovision experience in Europe, I’ve also woven in a few of my favorites from this year’s contest.
Behind the Music
When I curate a playlist, I dive into a distinct theme—this time, soul-searching and self-discovery—while crafting a narrative arc that mirrors the emotional highs and lows. This structure uses tracks 1, 13, and 25 as the overture, entr’acte, and curtain call—to steal a bit of musical theatre lingo—as a way of framing the soundscape.
Though crafted to play from beginning to end, I naturally respect the wisdom of the shuffle. Turn up the volume and step into the journey!
Track List & Artist Highlights
Melanie — Brand New Key: This playful classic’s light-hearted innuendo invites you to say yes to a change in perspective!
Flevans — I Got Soul: These retro beats and uplifting vocal samples celebrate the inner spirit and invite you to embrace who you truly are…
Fun. — Some Nights: A meditation on doubt and reconciling inner battles, these introspective lyrics express a yearning for deeper meaning.
Weezer — Island In the Sun: Sometimes we long for escape and I’d follow Rivers Cuomo to a sonic refuge full of carefree optimism!
The Temper Trap — Sweet Disposition: Clarity often comes in fits and starts, echoed by these ethereal harmonies and that soaring chorus…
EMMY — Laika Party: Representing Ireland in Eurovision 2025, this futuristic pop turns a tragic tale into a jubilant celebration.
Guster — What You Wish For: These lyrics explore the ways our innermost desires and the risks they entail shape our idea of fulfillment.
PARG — SURVIVOR: Representing Armenia at Eurovision, this electrifying anthem pulses with resilience and transformative strength!
They Might Be Giants — You're on Fire: Full of their signature wordplay and bouncy rhythms, think of this as a burst of inspiration…
- — Letting Go: Calmly release the past, trust the process of change, and open yourself up to something new.
CMAT — Take A Sexy Picture Of Me: Boldly self-affirming, this song transforms pain into empowerment and redefines the idea of beauty.
Jessie J — Living My Best Life: This joyful declaration of reclaimed happiness is giving 1980’s…and I am here for it!
The Beverley Sisters — It's Illegal, It's Immoral, or It Makes You Fat: Sometimes part of finding joy is learning to thumb your nose at convention.
Hellogoodbye — Would It Kill You? Trying to control everything only leads to more frustration, life will always unfold as it is meant to do…
Mia Wray — Not The Same As Yesterday: Raw and reflective, this confessional strikes right to the very heart of growth and change.
The Wombats — Flip Me Upside Down: Sometimes you need to turn your world around in order to make highs out of lows…
Martin Solveig & Faouzia — Now Or Never: There’s no time like the present to stop denying yourself joy…what are you waiting for?
Helen Reddy — Delta Dawn: Steeped in nostalgic melancholy, this all-time favorite considers how the past fuels our inner light.
Avicii (feat. Sandro Cavazza) — What Would I Change It To: Introspective verses with an uplifting drop that asks if imperfection may be just right?
VÆB — RÓA: Representing Iceland in 2025, the captains of this buoyant maritime techno infusion are determined to row through the rough seas!
Kira Divine (feat. Marques Toliver) — Archaeology: Modern disco that unearths our innermost layers and ancestral roots as the source of our vitality.
RAYE — Call On Me: Tender and sincere, this is a love letter to connection and creating a sanctuary for introspection.
Gogol Bordello — Start Wearing Purple: I have
to thank for introducing me to this rallying cry against conformity!K's Choice — Resonate: A band I’ve followed since high school, this reminds us that every choice shapes our happiness.
Madonna — Ray of Light: The ultimate destination of any introspection, this mystical pop captures that searing moment of clarity.
Happy listening!
Thanks for vibing with this curated playlist 🎧—your presence fuels my creative journey! If you enjoy a mix of witty memoirs set against Dutch backdrops, gripping serialized mysteries, and rebellious dystopian sci-fi, you’ve come to the right place.